23-07-04: Oldham Athletic (a) 0-0 (HT 0-0) Crowd (3,335)

Programme

Leeds gave trialist Rami Shabaan, from Arsenal, a chance to show his worth in goal in a team that was a mixture of trialists, young hopefuls, new signings and the odd seasoned player. The former Arsenal custodian came through his test with a clean sheet and apart from the odd uncertainty with crosses he came through the test well and made several good blocks. Richardson was given a full ninety minutes in his favoured right back spot and he showed he would be more than capable if called upon to replace incumbent Gary Kelly. The biggest positive to emerge from the game was Lucas Radebe, playing for the first time in several months, showed all his old composure and led the side with calmness and control and was rarely troubled and with Clarke Carlisle commanding in the air there were no chances for Oldham. Craig Hignett was given a start in midfield and Steve Guppy was given another chance to prove that he was the answer on the left flank. Simon Walton took on the holding role and with Danny Cadamarteri on the right flank and Jamie McMaster making up a five man midfield. It left Michael Ricketts to plough a lone furrow as striker. It was nor really a success and it was forty-eight minutes before the first real chance was created, with Ricketts the provider and Craig Hignett the executioner, but Kelvin Jack had little trouble saving. Leeds' best period came at the beginning of the second half as they introduced their substitutes with Simon Johnson replacing Michael Ricketts after fifty-two minutes, Andy Keogh replacing Steve Guppy twelve minutes later and Brenton Leister replacing Danny Cadamarteri in the sixty-ninth minute. Simon Johnson was thwarted after being given a chance by Andy Keogh after Craig Hignett had started the move. However on balance the home side had the better of the chances created. Oldham made several changes to their team throughout the game starting with the half time replacements of goalkeeper Les Pogliacomi by Kelvin Jack and Mark Bonner by Matt Appleby. In the fifty-ninth minute Chris Killen replaced Scott Vernon and ten minutes later Ernie Cooksey replaced David Eyres. In the seventy-second minute they made their final change when Danny Boshell replaced Jermaine Johnson.